May 7, 1838 - James G. Marsh, 14-year old son of the president of the Quorum of Twelve, dies. The ELDER'S JOURNAL issue of July notes that at age nine this boy "had a remarkable vision in which he talked with the Father and many of the ancient prophets face to face, and beheld the Son of God coming in his glory." No publication at this time had yet referred to Joseph Smith's vision of the Father and the Son.

May 7, 1842 - As part of a parade before such dignitaries as Stephen A. Douglas, Joseph Smith and John C. Bennett perform a "mock battle" with each man leading troops of the Nauvoo Legion. Joseph refuses to follow Bennett's staging instructions as he fears Bennett will use the opportunity to kill him and call it an accident.

May 7, 1843 - Joseph Smith writes in his journal: "Forenoon visited by several gentlemen concerning the plates which were dug out [of] a mound near Qunig [Kinderhook, Pike County, Illinois]. Sent by W[illia]m Smith to the office for Hebrew Bible and Lexicon. Mr. Vickers the wire dancer called."Parley P. Pratt writes to a non-Mormon cousin concerning claims by John C. Bennet that Joseph Smith tried to seduce Orson Pratt's wife Sarah: "As to Bennett or his book [The History of the Saints, 1842] I consider it a little stooping to mention it. It is beneath contempt & would disgrace the society of HELL & the DEVIL. . . .There is not such a thing named among the saints as he represents." Orson Pratt adds a postscript to the letter: " J.C. Bennett has published lies concerning myself & family & the people with which I am connected." Sarah Pratt, however, later states: "[I] know that the principle statements in John C. Bennett's Book on Mormonism are true."

May 7, 1844 - William Law and associates receive the printing press on which they plan to publish the NAUVOO EXPOSITOR.

May 7, 1850 - Brigham Young, pessimistic about converting the Indians, tells colonists in Utah Valley that the "older Indians would never enter into the New and Everlasting Covenant but that they would die and be damned

May 7, 1861 - Brigham Young preaches and publishes: "Three High Priests form a Quorum. . . .Let a Quorum of High Priests go into an upper room, and there appear before the Lord in the garments of the holy Priesthood and offer up before the Father, in the name of Jesus, the signs of the holy Priesthood, and then ask God to give a revelation."

May 7, 1862 - Frank Fuller, a dentist, brings samples of false teeth to Brigham Young's office. He agrees to make a set for President Young for about $100. President Young observes that dentistry is "an unpleasant business on account of the bad breaths of many persons."

May 7, 1873 - Wilford Woodruff writes in his journal: "At the Endowment House James Cunningham & Elizabeth Nickelson Cunningham requested to be adopted into my family. I informed him that there were no such ordinances performed now. Such ordinances must be performed in a Temple."

May 7, 1896 - First Presidency and apostles decide that baptisms for dead and all other baptism ordinances eliminate words "for remission of sins" or "renewal of covenants," and use only words in DOCTRINE AND COVENANTS.

May 7, 1974 - The First Presidency writes in a letter: " For your information we may say that individual saints are free to make such alterations in the garment as may be dictated by unusual physical handicaps or disabilities. Where there is a problem such as the one being experienced by Sister Temesevi, we have taken the position that such modification as may be necessary to accommodate the wearing of the garment to the special physical disability or handicap is permissible."

May 7, 1983 - Larry Nielsen is first American to climb Mt. Everest without supplemental oxygen.

May 7, 1981 - LDS spokesman Don LeFevre states (in response to charges that the First Presidency statement against basing the MX missile system in Utah ignores national defense needs): "I don't think you can read a lack of patriotism into the Church's MX statement. . . .There is no place in Mormon philosophy for the conscientious objector"

May 7, 1985 - Ron Lafferty is found guilty of murdering his sister-in-law and her baby and is sentenced to death. He awaits execution for the two murders, while his brother Dan, who was sentenced to life, serves his time with the main population at Utah State Prison. The murders were in response to a "revelation" that Ron received. Two members of Dan's jury later claimed Dan had manipulated them by "psycho-sexual seduction."

May 7, 1986 - William Flynn, forensic document analyst for the Arizona State Crime Lab, testifies in the preliminary hearing of murderer and forger Mark Hofmann. He testifies that Hofmann's documents are forgeries. He is followed by George Throckmorton, a certified forensic document examiner, who also declares Hofmann's documents to be forgeries.